Pitch pipe



May 19, 1925. 1538336 W. KRATT PITCH PIPE Original Filed Ja.n 10, 1921 I Pipes, of which Patented May 19, 1925.

UNITED STATES WILLIAM KRATT, OF NEW BRUNSWICK, NEW JERSEY.

PITCH PIPE.

Application flled'lanuary 10', 1921, Serial No. 436,171. Renewed October 10, 1924.

To-all whom it may concern: a Be it known that 1, WILLIAM KRATT, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of New Brunswick, county of Middlesex, and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Pitch the following is a specification. 1 This invention relates to an improved pitch pipe which is adapted to-be made in different sizes and which can embrace any desired number of notes, but it is preferably provided with reeds enough to embrace an octave, and can also be supplied with reeds representing the semi-tones so as to permit the sounding of a chromatic scale which embraces thirteen notes, and it is made possible by this device to arrange such chromatic scale so that the whole device takes up but little room and can be carried in the pocket readily. 1 I r The invention further'c onsists of an arrangementof reedswhich sound the notes required, this being arranged so that the full tones'are sounded when the operator blows in the pitch pipe, and the semi-tones are sounded when suction is used on the pitch pipe, this being usually accomplished by ar-v ranging the semi-tones and the full tones on opposite sides of the plate to which they are attached.

The invention further consists of identification strips or marks which are preferably arranged so as to simulate an instrument, preferably the keys of a piano, whereby the full tones are identified by a white mark indicating a white key of a piano, and the semi-tones by a black mark indicating the black keys of a piano.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1' is a top view of one form of my improved pitch pipe, and Figure 2 is a bottom view of the same with the bottom member being broken away to show the central plate which suports the reeds. Figure 3 is a section on ine 3-3 in Figure 1. Figure 4 is a detail view showing part of the top plate, looking at the same from the inside, and Figure 5 is asimilar View of a modified form of construction. Figure 6 is a top view of'the plate on which the reeds are arranged when such reeds are actuated, some by pressure and some by suction, showing them arranged on opposite sides of the central plate; Fig ure 7 is a top View showing one form of identification mark to indicate the different notes, and FigureS is a section on line 8-8 in Figure 7 The device can be made of various materials, but I prefer to make it mainly of sheet metal, and in the preferred form I employ atop plate 10 and a bottom plate 11, and between them is arranged a central plate 12. These plates can be made of different outline, but I prefer to make them circular. Each of'the plates 10 and 11 forms cover having the respective marginal flanges 13 and 14, whichv are bent inward and engage the central plate 12 at its edge.

The topplate is constructed so that it is provided with air passages, these being prefarably arranged radially, extending inward from the periphery or outer edge of the top plate, and I usually form such passages by arranging a disk 15 which is cut away at separated spaces 16, these cut away parts 16 which form air passages being arranged in register with openings 17v at the edge of the marginal flange 13.

On the central plate and in line with each of the air passages 16 I arrange a reed 18, each reed being arranged adjacent to. an opening 19 in the central plate, the air, when being blown through the pitch pipe, finally escaping through suitably arranged openings in'the bottom plate 11, suoh'as the openings 20 shown in Figure 2.

Any desired number of reeds can be installed, of course each being arranged in register with its air passage, but I prefer to arrange them so that they embrace a scale, preferably a chromatic scale, and each opening 17 can be identified as being associated with a particular note by the marks 21 arranged adjacent to the edge of the to plate. 1 illustrate in Hie drawin a pitcli pipe embracing a chromatic scale covering thirteen notes. r

In order to join the plates together, I preferably indent or recess the cover plates 10 and- 11 to form depressed parts 22, and these depressed parts and the central plate have a central opening through which any suitable fastening means, such as the screw 23 or'an eyelet or similar fastening device, can

be inserted, the fastening device, such as the screw 23, preferably being provided with a bore 24- which permits a string 25 to be passed through it, and thus a loop can be supplied by means of which the devrpe can be suspended around the neck, which is very advantageous, particularly when used by music teachers or conductors or other persons who desire to have ready access, during instruction or practice, to a particular note.

Instead of putting a filling in the top plate and putting air passages therein, I can term {the top plate, as shown in Figure 5, of a solid piece of material, such as shown at 26, which can be fibre, rubber or other suitable material, and provided with passages 27 which correspond with the air passages 16 in Figure 4:.

It is sometimes desirable to have a pitch pipe in which, when presented to the inputh and the openings successively blown into, full tones are sounded, and when a similar movement is made accompanied by suction the semi-tones are sounded. In Figure 6 I show one form of providing such a pitch pipe, this view showing the top of the central plate 12, the reeds 28 or" the full tones being arranged on top of the central plate 12, and the reeds shown at 29 being arranged on the under side of the central plate, so that when the operator blows into the pipe the full tones, represented by the reeds 28, are sounded in succession without the semi-tones being sounded, and when the openings are successively subjected to suetion the emi-tones are sounded and the full tones are not sounded. This arrangement is sometimes advantageous in permitting a quick arrival at desired full tones or semitones.

Another feature of the invention is the identification marks which will associate each note with its corresponding appearance on an instrument, and in this connection I illustrate, in Figure 7, one adapted for use with a piano, in which it will be noticed that the full tones are shown at 30, prefer ably by white strips, and the semi-tones at 31 by black strips, the white representing the white keys of a piano and the black representing the black keys of a piano.

The identification marks can be put on in any desired way, but I prefer to make them as shown in Figure 8, the top plate at the required places being indented or provided with a groove, as at 32, and this groove is filled with enamel, as at 33, so that the enamel is not easily worn off when the device is handled to a considerable extent.

It will thus be evident that I have pro vided a pitch pipe, preferably a chromatic pitch pipe, which is particularly adapted for use by teachers of music and teachers of singing, and which can also be provided with any desired number of notes to agree with the strings on any particular instrm ment, and which is very compact.

I claim:

1. A pitch pipe comprising a casing having air passages therethrough, a central plate in the casing, reed in the air passages and mounted on the opposed faces of the plate, the reeds being arranged so as to form a chromatic scale and being so disposed that certain tones are sounded by pressure and other tones are sounded by suction.

2. A pitch pipe comprising a flat central plate, top and bottom plates having marginal flanges and having depressed central portions whereby they are in contact at the center and at the edges with the central plate, a disk embraced by the top plate and having radially arranged passages, the central plate having openings in register with said passages, reeds secured to the central plate and situated on said passages, the marginal flange of the top. plate having openings in line with the outer ends of said passages, the bottom plate having openings therein to permit the escape of air, and fastening means passing through the depressed parts of the topand bottom plates and through the central plate whereby the members are clamped together.

3. A pitch pipe comprising a flat central plate, top and bottom plates having marginal flanges and having depressed central port-ions whereby they are in contact at the center and at the edges with the central plate, a disk embraced by the top plate and having radially arranged passages, the central plate having openings in register with said passages, reeds secured to the central plate and situated on said passages, the marginal flange ot the top plate having openings in line with the outer ends of said passages, the bottom plate having openings therein to permitthe escape of air, and fastening means passing through the depressed parts of the top and bottom plates and through the central plate whereby the members are clamped together, said clamping means having a central bore to form a passage for a string.

-l. A pitch pipe comprising a flat central plate, top and bottom plates having marginal flanges and having depressed central portions whereby they are in contact at the center and at the edges with the central plate, a disk embraced by the top plate and having radially arranged passages, the central plate havingopenings in register with said passages, reeds secured to the central plate and situated on said passages, the marginal flange of the top plate having openings in line with the outer ends of said passages, the bottom plate having openings therein to permit the escape of air, and fastening means passing through the depressed parts of the top and bottom plates and through the central plate whereby the indicate the notes that are played on the members are clamped together, the top plate black keys. of a. piano. having strips radially arranged in line with In testimonythat I claim the foregoing, 10 the openings at its periphery, these strips I have hereto set my hand, this 7th day of 5 being colored white to indicate such notes as January, 1921.

are played on the white keys of a piano, and the remaining strips beingoolored black to WILLIAM KRATT. 

